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Description

The best thin (exciting!) single pitch face climbing in the Ampitheatre, possibly the best of its style in the 'Grampians'. 'Excellent' edges, horizontals and pockets on gritty rock. This is the most developed cliff on the vast blob of rock below 'Lower Taipan Wall'. Due to its exclusion from the Tempest/Mentz Select Guide this area has been totally neglected - which is very unfortunate as it really is a fantastic crag. Some of the routes are almost sport-climbs and others are definitely not. It is shaded until early afternoon. All bolts are stainless and in good nick.

In January 2014 a large bushfire swept through the Northern Grampians causing widespread damage to visitor sites, roads and walking tracks. Many popular rockclimbing and bouldering sites were also impacted including Hollow Mountain, Summerday Valley and Mt Stapylton.

The dry, rocky landscape is now extremely fragile and will take a long time to recover – the fire burnt extremely hot so in many cases regeneration will now occur (very slowly) from seed. Loss of vegetation, loose rocks, unstable soils and loss of access tracks means any foot traffic will have long term impacts on the recovery of the environment. Impacts now will also affect the sustainability of rock climbing sites well into the future.

As of Saturday 20th September access will once again be available to rock climbing and bouldering areas within the Stapylton Amphitheatre in addition to those already available in the Flat Rock area. The access track from Flat Rock has been realigned into Grey and Green Walls and to Taipan wall. Please follow these new alignments and refrain from walking off track.

Open Rock Climbing and Bouldering Areas in the Northern Grampians:

Central Buttress

Grey & Green Walls

Taipan Wall (Upper and Lower)

Spurt Wall

Epsilon Wall

Trackside Bouldering area

Snakepit

Wildsides

Spurt and Afterglow

Closures remain in place at all other Northern Grampians Climbing and Bouldering sites for the time being, including Summerday Valley, Andersons, The kindergarten, Van Diemens Land and Cut Lunch Walls. Stapylton Campground also remains closed. Plantation Campground is the closest, open campground.

Parks Victoria will continue to assess damage and undertake recovery works over the coming months. Updates will be posted as re-openings occur. Please respect the fragility of the environment and support the long term recovery of the Northern Grampians by remaining out of any closed areas. While Parks Victoria regrets the need to enforce closures, substantial fines will be imposed on anyone found in any closed, fire affected areas.

Due to closures in the Northern Grampians, the availability of rock climbing, camping, car touring and bushwalking experiences is limited. Sourcing information on available campgrounds and other accommodation options is recommended. Please visit www.parks.vic.gov.au for park maps and regular Grampians fire recovery updates.

For detailed information on available rockclimbing and bouldering sites in and near to the Grampians please refer to recognised guidebooks/websites. A general list of open and available areas includes the following:

Keep an eye out for Aboriginal Art sites – Report to Parks Victoria if you come across anything new.

Be mindful of cleaning

No chipping or bolting

Avoid excessive chalk

Take your rubbish home with you

Approach

Walk up Flat Rock and follow the track past 'Epsilon Wall' to a track on the right about 100 metres past 'Crossfire'. This track comes to you courtesy of the Department of Name 'Changes'. Follow the track down into the valley, cross a duckboard-cum-bridge over a swamp and continue for about 150 metres. A tree forms a natural arch over the track and the cliff can be seen up to the left. Head up through light bush (an animal pad helps) to the cliff. In all, no more than 30 minutes from the car. People tend to arrive at a flake-buttress (Rosy The Riveter) that marks the left side of the main wall. All descents are by single-rope abseils rather than lower-offs as the anchors are usually above some sharp edges. 'Access' to the top of the crag is a total nightmare of grey explodo jugs so make sure you can make it up your chosen route! Climbs are described from left to right.

Cast away! A superb sustained wall. Start at base of ramp just right of 'Abandon Ship'. Move R up easy ramp to carrot bolt. Delicately past carrot to break (small cams/wire) and up to FH. Continue strenuously leftwards past two more FHs and an elegant mono-doigt at the top. You'll need a small cam as well.

Beautiful, steep ripply wall. Start easily just right of smooth orange rock. Up right along ramp, ignoring high carrot, then up past FH, step left to runners and straight up to horizontal break. Blast boldly up bulge to FH and on to chain. Rap-off rather than lower-off as the chain runs over a rough edge. Trad gear is small/med cams and wires.

Hard crux. Bridge up using a convenient tree about 12m right of Talk Of Mad Women and onto the wall. Hand traverse right to avoid all of the big loose blocks sitting on the ledge and up to FH. Hard crux past FH then more easily straight up juggy wall past another FH to belay at double FHs above 'Spice Islands'. Walk off right to rap anchors above 'Lord Jim' to descend.

Keeps your interest.Hard start and exciting, pumpy moves on the bulge. Start in centre of wall, about 10m right of 'Roaring Forties'. Pull off boulder onto wall, FH, and crank hard to reach break. Left a fraction at 2nd FH then back right and up to mailbox slot (vital large wire). Motor up and left on the headwall, hoping that the hidden 3rd FH will be staring you in the face when you peer over the top of it. Pull up and continue with a big runout to double bolt anchors. Walk right to chains above 'Lord Jim' to descend.

Serious. Scarcely a natural runner worth spitting on in the first half. Start at tree 10m R of 'Spice Islands', 1m L of 'Lord Jim'. Use tree to gain several metres, clip the 2nd bolt of 'Lord Jim', drop down a bit and traverse 4m L. Weave up wall with a variety of dubious runner arrangements, to bolt R of yellow streak. Up headwall then follow jugs dramatically L for 3m on crest of headwall. Go up when it seems to be the best option.

Glorious juggy rock on the headwall after a desperate crimpy start. Screwgate for 1st FH, #1½ cam between 3rd and 4th bolt. 5 FHs. Start 11m right of Spice islands below left side of orange streaks. Hard bouldery start past bolt (pull on this and enjoy the rest at 21ish), teeter past second bolt then motor up wall. Don't touch fragile flake up right of 5th bolt.

"Nice climbing, despite its humble appearance", Noddy. The only humble thing on this climb will be you if you take it lightly. The first climb on the wall. Take a few slings for the headwall. Towards right end of wall is a long roof-line. Start left of the left end of roof in a grove of native pines about 3m right of 'Lord Jim'. Step off long, skinny boulder and follow your nose up the wall to an obvious slot with a tuft of reedy grass 2/3rds of the way up the wall. Straight up steeply to finish.

It's the final step that counts. Start at extreme R end of wall, at easy L-facing corner. Up corner to roof and traverse L for miles until roof is only 1m wide and crossable. Up over roof and R-wards to finish.